The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-06-03
JESS.
nYA.RlpER HAe6ARp.
%h&.F's'IQ selemoES suees Sk@ue
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
JOHN TO THE RESCUE.
The important domestic events described
In the last chapter took place ON Dec. Z, 1880
and for the next twelve days or 70 every.
thing went as happily Ut Mooifontein a
things should 20 under the circumstances.
Every day Silas Croft beamed with more
enlarged geniality In his satisfaction at the
turn things had taken, and every day John
found cause to congratulate himself more
and more on the issue Of his bold venture to-
ward matrimony. Now that he came to be
on such intimate terms with his betrothed, he
perceived hundred charms and graces In
her character which he had never suspected
before. Bessie was like flower: the more
she basked in the light and warmth Of her
love the more her character opened and UNI
folded, shedding perfumed sweetness round
her and revealing unguessed charms. 1t is so
with all women, and more especially with a
woman Of her stamp, whom nature has
made to love and be loved a. maid
and wife and mother. Her undoubted
personal beauty also shared In this
development her fair face taking richer
hue and her eyes an added depth and mean
ing She was in every respect, save one, all
that man could desire In his wife, and even
the exception was one that would have stood
to her credit with most men. It was this:
she was not an intellectual woman, although
she certainly possessed more than the ordi-
nary share OF intelligence and work q day
common sense. Now John was q decidedly
intellectual man, and, what is more, he highly
appreciated that rare quality in the other
sex. But, after all, when one is just engaged
to a sweet and lovely woman, one does not
think much about her intellect. Those sort
Of reflections come afterward.
And 80 they sauntered hand in hand
through the sunny days and were exceedingly
happy. Least Of al did they allow the ru'
mors which occasionally reached them from
the great Boer gathering at Paarde Kraal TO
disturb their serenity. There had been so
many Of these rumors Of rebellion that folk
were getting to regard them as chronic
state of affairs.
"Oh, the DocrS!" said Bessie, with pretty
toss of her golden head, as they were sitting
one morning on the veranda. "1'm sick to
death of hearing about the Beers and all their
got up talk. know what it is; it is just an
excuse for them to 60 away from their farms
and wives and children and idle about at
these great meetings, and drink square face
with their mouths full Of big words. You
see what Jess says in her last letter. People
in Pretoria believe that it is all nonsense from
beginning to end, and think they are per-
fectly right"
''By the way, Bessie" asked John, "have
you written to Jess telling her of our engage
mentW
"Oh, yes l wrote some days ago, but the
letter only went yesterday. She will be
pleased to hear about it. Dear old Jess I
wonder when she means to come home again.
She has been away long enough"
John made no answer, but went on smoking
his pipe in silence. wondering It jess would
he pleased. He die not understand her yet.
She had gone away just as he was beginning
to understand her.
Presently he observed Jantje sneaking
about between the orange trees as though he
wished to call attention to himself Had he
not wanted to do so he would have moved
from one to the other in such a way that
nobody could have seen him. His partial and
desultory appearances indicated that he was
on view.
"Come out of those trees, you little rascal,
and stop slipping about like snake in stone
wall !" shouted John. "what is it you want
wages 2"
Thus adjured, Jantje advanced and sat
down on the path as usual, in the full glare OF
the sun.
"No, baas," he said," it is not wages. They
are not due yet"
"What is it then?"
"No, baas, it is this. The Beers have
declared war on the English government, and
they have eaten up the rooibaatjes at Bron-
ker's Spruit, near Middelburg. Joubert shot
them all there the day before yesterday"
"What!" shouted John, letting his pipe fall
in his establishment "Stop, though, that
must be q lie. You say near Middelburg, the
day before yesterday; that would be Dec 20.
When did you hear thiss"
cat daybrealz, baas. A Basutu told me-"
"Then there is an end OF it. The news
could not have got here in thirty-eight hours.
What do you mean by coming to me with
such tales'
The Hottentot smiled. ut is quite true,
baas. Bad news flies like Bird" and he
picked himself up aud slipped off to his
work.
Notwithstanding the apparent impossibility
of the thing, John was considerably dis
turbed, knowing the extraordinary speed
with which news does travel among Kaffirs;
more swiftly, indeed, than the swiftest
mounted messenger can bear it. Leaving
Bessie, who was also somewhat alarmed, he
went in search of Silas Croft. and, finding
him in the garden, told him what Jantje had
said The old man did not know what to
make of the tale, but, remembering Frank
Muller's threats, he shook his head.
"If there is any truth in it that villain Null
Ter has a hand in it" he said. "In go to the
house and see Jantje. Give me your arm,
John"
He obeyed, and, on getting to the top of
the steep path, perceived the stout figure of
old Hans Coetzee, who had been his host at
the shooting party, ambling along on his fat
little pony.
"Ah," said old Silas, "here is the man who
will tell us if there is anything in it ALL"
"Good day, ON Coetzee, good day." he
shouted out in his stentorian tone "What
news do you bring with youg"
The jolly looking Boer rolled awkwardly
off his pony before answering, and, throwing
the reins over its head. came to meet them.